Power-sanding device

ABSTRACT

A power-sanding device has a housing rotatably supporting an elongate drive shaft extending therefrom and rotatably supporting driven shaft portions extending from opposed ends and having a sanding drum mounted on the extending ends thereof. Power means operatively engages the drive shaft to rotate the sanding drums through intermeshing gears on the drive and driven shafts. An elongate arm extends from the housing and has a gripping portion on one end thereof and a guard member mounted on the housing between the gripping portion and a portion of the sanding drums.

United States Patent {72} Inventors Robert L. Choplin 304 N. Delaware,independence, Mo. 64055; Walter D. Hodge, 5237 Delmar, Roeland Park,Kans. [2l] Appl. No. 802,361 [22| Filed Feb. 26, 1969 [45] Patented Aug.l0. 1971 [54) POWERQSANDING DEVICE 6 Claims, 4 Drawing Figs.

[52] U.S.Cl 51/170 PT, 51/372 [5l l Int. Cl B241 23/00 [50] Field ofSearch 51/170,

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 907,058 12/1908 Kraemer etal. 51/372 3/1933 Clarke 5 l/l 70.1

1,917,303 7/1933 Hope 51/374` 2,076,998 3/1937 Martindale et al5`l/l70.l` 2,489,102 ll/l949 Moore 51/1 l0.l 2,548,166 3/1951 Larson 5H374 f 2,749,563 6/1956 Resserm. 5 l/l70.1 2,860,458 11/1958 Raske51/374 2,687,601 8/1954 Larson 5 l/374 Primary Examiner-William R.Armstrong Alrorney-Fishbum, Gold and Litman ABSTRACT: A power-sandingdevice has a housing rotatably supporting an elongate drive shaftextending therefrom and rotatably supporting driven shaft portionsextending from opposed ends and having a sanding drum mounted on theextending ends thereof. Power means operatively engages the drive shaftto rotate the sanding drums through interrneshing gears on the drive anddriven shafts. An elongate arm extends from the housing and has agripping portion on one end thereof and a guard member mounted on thehousing between the gripping portion and a portion of the sanding drums.

'Patented Aug.1o`,197`1- 3,597,883

`2 Sheets-Sheet y1 Im" l 50 i* 4e 4'5 3 MJ V; El; 55 7 s:

5 "i INVENTORS. 57 54 ROBERT L. cHoPLmf..d

o 58 BY WALTER D. HoDaE ez /f 5 0 MM, M if 6 ATTORNEYS Patented Aug. 1o,1971 I 3,597,883.

2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORb.

ROBERT L. CHOPLINfna BY WALTER D. HODGE @aa/@mw u m ATTORNEYSPOWER-SANDING DEVICE The present invention relates to sanding devicesand more particularly to sanding attachments for power tools.

The principal objects of the present invention are: to proe vide apower-sanding device in the form of a power device wherein the sandingdevice is particularly adapted for sanding curved surfaces, such as boathulls, vehicle bodies, and the l like; to provide such a power-sandingdevice which is in the form of an attachment for power tools and is easyto guide and does not rotate around a drive shaft when in use; toprovide such a power-sanding device having means for substantiallypreventing slippage between a periphery of a sanding drum and anabrasive sleeve mounted thereon; to provide such a power-sanding devicehaving a pair of sanding drums spaced with the accompanying drawingswherein are set forthby way of illustration and example certainembodiments of this invention.

FIG. l is a perspective view of a sanding device embodying features ofthe present invention.

FIG. 2 is an elevational view of the sanding device.

FIG. 3 is a plan view of the sanding device.

FIG. 4 is a transverse sectional view through the sandin device taken online 4-4, FIG. 3 showing gears for rotating the drums.

Referring more in detail to the drawings:

The reference numeral l generally designates a power-sanding devicearranged to be driven by a power tool or motor 2. In the illustratedstructure, the motor 2 is in the form of a power drill and the sandingdevice l is in the form of an attachment for the power tool or drill 2.In the illustrated structure the sanding device l has an elongatehousing 3 rotatably supporting an elongate drive shaft 4 extendingtherefrom and the y housing 3 rotatably supports an elongate drivenshaft 5 having sanding drums 6 and 7'mounted on opposite end portionsthereof. The motor on power tool 2 is operatively connected to the driveshaft 4 to rotate the sanding drums 6 and 7 through a gear transmission9 which in the illustrated structure consists of bevel gears l and Il onthe drive and driven shafts 4 and 5 respectively. An elongate arm l2extends from the housing 3 and has a gripping portion or handle I3 on afree end thereof and a guard member 14 is mounted on the housing 3 andis positioned between the gripping portion I3 and a portion of eachofthe sanding drums 6 and 7.

The gear transmission 9 is contained within a gear chamber I within thehousing 3. It is, therefore, necessary to provide access to the gearchamber I5 to install or replace the gears l0 and 1l therein. In theillustrated structure, the housing 3 is a split housing having sections16 and 17 with one of the sections, as for example section I7, having aguide shoulder I8 thereon and the other section 16 having a matingsurface 19 adapted to slidingly engage the guide shoulder 18 whereby thehousing sections I6 and I7 telescope together in mating engagement. Thesections 16 and I7 are suitably secured together, as by a plurality ofmachine bolts 20, to close the gear chamber l5 after the gears I0 and Ilare mounted on the drive and driven shafts 4 and 5. In the illustratedstructure, the machine bolts 20 are each received in an elongate bore 2lin one of the housing sections, as for example section I7, andthreadedly engage a threaded bore 22 in the other housing section I6.

It is preferable that heads of the machine bolts 20 be flush with anexterior surface of the housing section I7, therefore, counterbores 23are formed in the exterior surface of the housing section 17 at theexterior surface end of the bore 2`I to receive a head portion ofrespective machine bolts 20.

The housing sections I6 and I7 have elongate alignablc bores 24 and 25respectively, each positioned to receive and rotatably support portionsof the driven shaft 5, as later described. The bores 24 and 25communicate with the gear chamber l5 having the bevel gears I0 and lltherein, and each has suitable means therein to rotatably support therespective portions of the driven shaft 5, such as antifriction ballbearings, tapered rollers, bushings, and the like. I

In the illustrated structure, the bevel gear ll is suitably fixed,keyed, or pined on an intermediate portion of the driven shaft 5, as byan elongate taper pin 26, and is positioned on the driven shaft 5 toengage the flange of a flanged bushing 27 positioned in the bore 25 inthe housing section 17. A sleeve bushing 28 is positioned in the bore 24in the housing section I6 to cooperate with the flanged bushing 27 torotatably support portions of the driven shaft 5. Seals 29 are mountedin counterbores 30 and 3l at the exterior surface end of the bores 24and 25 in the housing sections I6 and 17 respectively. Thrust washers 32are sleeved on the driven shaft 5 and engage the seals 29 and theexterior surface of the housing sections I6 and I7 adjacent thecounterbores 30 and 3l to space the sanding drums 6 and 7 from theopposite ends of the housing 3 and to provide suitable bearingtherebetween.

The drive means, in the form of the power tool 2, is operativelyconnected loa free end of the drive shaft 4 to rotate the sanding drums6 and 7 and in the illustrated embodiment of the present invention, thedrive shaft 4 is transverse to the driven shaft 5.and it is necessary toguide and rotatably support the drive shaft 4, therefore, an upperportion of the housing 3 has a threaded bore 33 intermediate the endsthereof and is adapted to receive a threaded end portion 34 of anelongate shaft guide member 3S having the drive shaft 4 rotatablysupported therein. The shaft guide member 35 has an elongate internalbore 36 having suitable means therein to guide and rotatably support thedrive shaft 4, such as antifriction ball bearings, tapered rollers,bushings and the like. In the illustrated structure, counterbores 37 and38 are formed at opposite ends of the shaft guide member 35 to seat aflange portion of flanged bushings 39 and 40 respectively which aremounted in the bore 36 to receive and support the drive shaft 4. One ofthe counterbores, as for example counterbore 37, is in the threaded endportion 34 and is sized to receive a portion of the bevel gear l0 whichis suitably fixed, keyed or pined on the drive shaft 4, as by anelongate taper pin 4I, at the other end thereof. A collar 42 is sleevedon the drive shaft 4 and is suitably secured thereon intermediate theends thereof as by an elongate taper pin 43, in a position to engage theflange portion of the flanged bushing 40 seated in the other counterbore38, to thereby guide the drive shaft 4 and maintain same within theshaft guide member 35 during rotation thereof It is desirable to spacethe gripping portion or handle I3 from the exterior surface of thesanding drums 6 and 7 to prevent injury to a person (not shown) usingthe sanding device l. In the illustrated structure the shaft guidemember 35 has a shoulder 44 onvthe exterior surface thereof adjacent thethreaded end portion 34 to receive and support a handle assembly 45. Anelongate split sleeve portion 46 of the handle assembly 45 is removablymounted on the exterior surface of the shaft guide member 35 and one endthereof engages or seats on the shoulder 44. The arm l2 is part of thehandle assembly 45 and is illustrated as a pair of bars 47 and 48extending radially from the split sleeve portion 46 and has the grippingor handle portion 13 mounted on the free ends thereof. The bars 47 and48 are transversely spaced and suitably secured to the split sleeveportion 46 on adjacent sides of a split or slot 49 extending betweenopposite ends thereof whereby a suitable fastening device, such as amachine bolt or screw 50 which is mounted in the bars 47 and 48 in amanner similar to the machine bolts 20 thereby being adapted to tightenthe split sleeve portion 46 into clamping engagement with the exteriorsurface of the shaft guide member 35.

The guard member I4 is positioned between the handle I3 and the sandingdrums 6 and 7 and the guard member I4 is formed of a pair of sections 5land 52 suitably secured to the split sleeve portion 46 adjacent thesplit or slot 49 therein, as by welding, and extends therefrom and theguard sections are of a suitable arcuate shape to cover a portion of thesanding drums 6 and 7 respectively to protect the hand (not shown) of aperson (not shown) gripping or holding the handle portion 13 of thesanding device l.

The guard member 14 is sized to cover only a small portion of thesanding drums 6 and 7 whereby the power-sanding device is particularlymaneuverable to engage curving surfaces, such as boat hulls.

lt is desirable that the power-sanding device l be a compact structureand that the sanding drums 6 and 7 be as close together as reasonablypossible so that the sanding effort can be concentrated in a desiredarea of a surface being treated. Therefore, the sanding drums aretubular members adapted to be in an overlying and surrounding relationwith end portions of the elongate housing 3.

ln the illustrated structure, the sanding drums 6 and 7 are each formedof an elongate drum or core portion 53 having a hub portion 54 centeredtherein and suitably fixed, keyed or pined on the respective endportions of the driven shaft S, as by an elongate pin 55. The coreportion S3 is illustrated as an elongate tubular cylindrical memberhaving a recess or opening in each end thereof each of which tapers fromthe opposite ends toward the hub portion 54 thereby being adapted to bepositioned in a covering and surrounding relation with tapered endportions 56 of the respective housing sections 16 and 17.

lt is preferable to have the periphery ofthe sanding drums 6 and 7formed of a resilient material, such as soft rubber, neoprene or thelike, and to have the mounting portion or hub portion 54 fonned of arelatively rigid material, such as hard rubber, metal or the like. 1nthe illustrated structure, the core portion 53 is a separate member,preferably of metal, and the exterior surface of the core portion 53 ispreferably left in a roughened condition or roughened after formingwhereby a resilient rim 57, preferably of rubber, may be bonded thereto.The resilient rim 57 has a plurality of circumferentially spaced cuts 58extending longitudinally along the periphery thereof.

The cuts 58 are each inclined relative to a radial plane 59 through aroot 60 of each of the cuts 58 with the incline being outwardly from theplane 59 toward the direction of operational rotation of the drums 6 and7 and the incline is in the nature of to 30 from the plane S9 wherebythe diameter of the resilient rim 57 may be reduced by grasping theperiphery thereof while at rest and twisting same toward the directionof operational rotation which is in the same direction as the incline ofthe cuts 58. The resilient rim 57 is thereby prepared to receive anelongate generally cylindrical sleeve member 61 having an abrasiveexterior surface, such as sandpaper. The incline of the cuts 58 is alsosuch that during operational rotation of the sanding drums 6 and 7, asindicated by arrow 62, the periphery of the resilient rim 57 willincrease or be extended or enlarged to provide a firm engagement withthe interior surface of the sleeve member 61 substantially preventingslippage therebetween to thereby maintain the abrasive sleeve 6l on theresilient rim 57 during use of the sanding device l.

1n use, the bevel gears l0 and ll are mounted on the drive and drivenshafts 4 and 5 by the taper pins 41 and 26 respectively. The sleevebushing 28 is positioned in the bore 24 and the flanged bushing 27 ispositioned in the bore 25. The housing sections 16 and 17 are sleeved onopposite ends of the driven shaft 5 and then are secured together by themachine bolts 20. The hub portions 54 are secured to the opposite endportions ofthe driven shaft 5 by the pins 55. The periphery of eachresilient rim 57 is grasped and twisted in the direction of operationalrotation` as indicated by arrow 62, to reduce the diameter thereof toreceive the sleeve member 61 thereon. The flanged bushings 39 and 40 areseated in the counterbores 37 :ind 38 of the bore 36 and the drive shaft4 is inserted through the bushings 39 and 40 in the guide member 35which is then mounted in the threaded bore 33 with the bevel gears l0and l1 in intermeshing engagement. The handle assembly 45 is thenmounted on the guide member 35 and a chuck 63 of the power tool 2 isoperatively connected to the free end of the drive shaft 4 to rotate thcsanding drums 6 and 7. The power tool 2 and the handle 13 are grasped orheld by a person (not shown) to guide the sand device l during use.

With the sanding drums 6 and 7 being mounted on opposite ends of thedriven shaft 5, they both rotate in the same direction and at the samespeed whereby thc sanding device l does not rotate around the driveshaft 4 when thc sanding drums 6 and 7 are both in engagement with asurface (not shown) being sanded or treated.

The sanding device l is also adapted to be used as a polisher by placinga sleeve member having an exterior buffing surface of soft material,such as cloth, on the resilient rim 57 of each drum 6 and 7.

lt is to be understood that while l have illustrated and described oneform of my invention it is not to be limited to this specific form orarrangement of parts` herein described and shown.

What we claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. A power-sanding device comprising:

a. a housing having an elongate drive shaft rotatably supported therein;

b. an elongate driven shaft rotatably supported in said housing, saiddriven shaft having opposite ends thereof ex tending from said housingtransversely to said drive shaft;

c. said housing including a pair of elongate end sections each having abore through one end thereof, said bores being alignable to rotatablysupport said driven shaft, said end sections each having mating means onthe other ends thereof for aligning said bores;

d. means for securing said end sections together with said boresaligned;

. a threaded bore in said housing disposed transverse to said drivenshaft;

. an elongate drive shaft guide member having one end threaded formounting in said threaded bore, said guide member having said driveshaft rotatably supported therein;

. an elongate arm extending from said housing;

. a gripping portion on one end of said arm for guiding the sandingdevice;

. gears within said housing operatively connecting said drive and drivenshafts;

j. an elongate sanding drum mounted on each end of said drive shaft;

k. power means operatively connected to said drive shaft to rotate sameand said sanding drums.

2. The power sanding device as set forth in claim l includa. a splitsleeve mounted on said guide member and having said arm extendingtherefrom; and

b. a split guard member on said split sleeve, said guard member beingpositioned between said gripping portion and a portion of each of saidsanding drums.

3. A power-sanding device comprising:

aA an elongate housing having a pair of elongate end sections eachhaving a bore through one end thereof, said end sections each havingmeans on the other ends thereof for aligning said bores, said housinghaving a threaded bore disposed transverse to said aligned bores;

b. an elongate guide member having one end threaded for mounting in saidthreaded bore for rotatably supporting an elongate drive shaft;

cA an elongate driven shaft rotatably supported in said aligned boresand having opposite ends thereofextending from said housing transverselyto said drive shaft;

dA first and second intermeshing bevel gears within said housing, saidfirst bevel gear being on one end of said drive shaft and said secondbevel gear being on said driven shaft intermediate the ends thereof;

e. an elongate sanding drum mounted on each end of said driven shaft`said drum having an abrasive exterior surface;

f. power means operatively connected to the other end of said driveshaft to rotate same and said sanding drums; and

g. means for guiding said sanding drums.

4. The power-sanding device as set forth in claim 3 wherein said sandingdrums each include:

a. a core member having a generally cylindrical exterior surv c. anelongate generally cylindrical sleeve removably mounted on saidresilient rim, said sleeve having said abrasive exterior surfacethereon.

5. A portable power-sanding device comprising:

a. a housing having a pair of elongate end sections said end sectionseach having a bore therein aligned with the other;

b. a driven shaft rotatably supported in said bores and having an endextending from a housing end section;

c. a drive shaft;

including:

d. an elongate drive shaft guide member removably supported by saidhousing, said guide member having a bore transversely of the drivenshaft, said drive shaft being rotatably supported in said bore of saidguide member and having one end extending therefrom;

e. a power tool including a drill chuck attached to said one end ofthedrive shaft and operative to rotate same;

f. gears within said housing operatively connecting said drive anddriven shafts;

g. an elongate sanding drum mounted on said extending end of the drivenshaft and rotated in response to rotation of the drive shaft, saidsanding drum having a resilient rim portion; l

h. a sanding sleeve having an abrasive exterior surface removablymounted on said resilient rim and frictionally retained thereon;

i. an arm secured relative to the housing and extending therefromsubstantially in a plane through the drive shaft and transversely of thedriven shaft;

j. a gripping handle on said arm for facilitating guiding of the sandingdevice.

6. A portable power-sanding device as set forth in claim 5 a. saidgripping handle extending laterally of said arm sub` stantially parallelto the driven shaft and spaced from the sanding drum;

b. a guard member fixed on said arm and positioned between the grippinghandle and the sanding drum to protect an operators hand from engagementwith the sanding drum.

1. A power-sanding device comprising: a. a housing having an elongatedrive shaft rotatably supported therein; b. an elongate driven shaftrotatably supported in said housing, said driven shaft having oppositeends thereof extending from said housing transversely to said driveshaft; c. said housing including a pair of elongate end sections eachhaving a bore through one end thereof, said bores being alignable torotatably support said driven shaft, said end sections each havingmating means on the other ends thereof for aligning said bores; d. meansfor securing said end sections together with said bores aligned; e. athreaded bore in said housing disposed transverse to said driven shaft;f. an elongate drive shaft guide member having one end threaded formoUnting in said threaded bore, said guide member having said driveshaft rotatably supported therein; g. an elongate arm extending fromsaid housing; h. a gripping portion on one end of said arm for guidingthe sanding device; i. gears within said housing operatively connectingsaid drive and driven shafts; j. an elongate sanding drum mounted oneach end of said drive shaft; k. power means operatively connected tosaid drive shaft to rotate same and said sanding drums.
 2. The powersanding device as set forth in claim 1 including: a. a split sleevemounted on said guide member and having said arm extending therefrom;and b. a split guard member on said split sleeve, said guard memberbeing positioned between said gripping portion and a portion of each ofsaid sanding drums.
 3. A power-sanding device comprising: a. an elongatehousing having a pair of elongate end sections each having a borethrough one end thereof, said end sections each having means on theother ends thereof for aligning said bores, said housing having athreaded bore disposed transverse to said aligned bores; b. an elongateguide member having one end threaded for mounting in said threaded borefor rotatably supporting an elongate drive shaft; c. an elongate drivenshaft rotatably supported in said aligned bores and having opposite endsthereof extending from said housing transversely to said drive shaft; d.first and second intermeshing bevel gears within said housing, saidfirst bevel gear being on one end of said drive shaft and said secondbevel gear being on said driven shaft intermediate the ends thereof; e.an elongate sanding drum mounted on each end of said driven shaft, saiddrum having an abrasive exterior surface; f. power means operativelyconnected to the other end of said drive shaft to rotate same and saidsanding drums; and g. means for guiding said sanding drums.
 4. Thepower-sanding device as set forth in claim 3 wherein said sanding drumseach include: a. a core member having a generally cylindrical exteriorsurface; b. a resilient rim mounted on said cylindrical exteriorsurface, said rim having a plurality of circumferentially spaced cutseach extending longitudinally along the periphery thereof, said cutseach being inclined outwardly toward the direction of rotation relativeto a radial plane through their respective root whereby operationalrotation of said rim increases the diameter thereof and twisting theperiphery of said resilient rim while at rest toward the direction ofoperational rotation reduces the diameter thereof; and c. an elongategenerally cylindrical sleeve removably mounted on said resilient rim,said sleeve having said abrasive exterior surface thereon.
 5. A portablepower-sanding device comprising: a. a housing having a pair of elongateend sections said end sections each having a bore therein aligned withthe other; b. a driven shaft rotatably supported in said bores andhaving an end extending from a housing end section; c. a drive shaft; d.an elongate drive shaft guide member removably supported by saidhousing, said guide member having a bore transversely of the drivenshaft, said drive shaft being rotatably supported in said bore of saidguide member and having one end extending therefrom; e. a power toolincluding a drill chuck attached to said one end of the drive shaft andoperative to rotate same; f. gears within said housing operativelyconnecting said drive and driven shafts; g. an elongate sanding drummounted on said extending end of the driven shaft and rotated inresponse to rotation of the drive shaft, said sanding drum having aresilient rim portion; h. a sanding sleeve having an abrasive exteriorsurface removably mounted on said resilient rim and frictionallyretained thereon; i. an arm secured relative to the housing andextending therefrom substantially in a plane through the drive shaft andtraNsversely of the driven shaft; j. a gripping handle on said arm forfacilitating guiding of the sanding device.
 6. A portable power-sandingdevice as set forth in claim 5 including: a. said gripping handleextending laterally of said arm substantially parallel to the drivenshaft and spaced from the sanding drum; b. a guard member fixed on saidarm and positioned between the gripping handle and the sanding drum toprotect an operator''s hand from engagement with the sanding drum.